Foundation ventilator



Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNDATION VENTILATORHoward W. Ronfeldt, Toledo, Ohio Application April 19, 1947, Serial No.742,649

9 Claims. v 1 This invention relates to ventilators and particularly toventilators for controlling the air circulation on the underside of astructure through its foundation.

In the main, ventilators of the type described have beenmanufactured ofmetal by the casting process. Inherent of the casting process, theirroduction has been slow and burdensome, requiring considerable labor;their discard and metal wastage has been aggravated by the highshrinkage and strain set up as a result of cooling the cast brittlemetal; and their form and shape have been influenced by the difiicultyof casting thin walls and louvers. In order to reduce the weight of theventilator and yet provide for suflicient strength, the ventilators havebeen cast with the effect of a grate with spaced bars connecting outerframe members and, even today, this effect remains as characteristic offoundation ventilators. This efiect is unattractive in the foundationand the wide space between bars provides free access of rodents andother field animals to the space beneath the structure.

It is an object of this invention to produce a new and improvedventilator of the type described which is simply and economicallymanufactured on a mass production basis without excessive metal wastageor undue strain in the fabricated parts, the ventilator having thecharacteristics of being structurally strong and light in weight.

Another object of this invention is to produce a foundation ventilatorwhich obviates many of the disadvantages of the present cast units inthat it is economically produced on a mass production basis, light inweight, strong, attractive in position of use and provides for sumcientventilation without enabling free passage of field animals.

A further object of this invention is to produce a foundation ventilatorof a single sheet of metal by the stamping process.

A still further object is to produce a stamped sheet metal ventilatorhaving openings suflicient to enable the desired air circulation withoutenabling the free passage of field animals and in the stamping iscontoured in a manner to appear attractive and in some instances evenunnoticeable in the foundation.

A still further object is to produce a new and improved ventilatorhaving openings which may be selectively obstructed as desired, theopening providing for suflicient air circulation without permitting freepassage of rats and mice there through.

These and other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear, andfor purposes of illustration but not of limitation, embodiments of theinvention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aperspective elevation view of a foundation ventilator of this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational view taken along the line 22 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the ventilator shown in Figure 1in position of use in th brick work of a foundation;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevational view taken along the line 4--4 ofFigure 3.

Briefly described, the invention is directed ta a ventilator formed of asingle sheet of metal, the peripheral end portions of which are turnedinwardly to operate as a framework and provide for an area of engagementwith the adjacent foun dation. In one aspect, louvers are stamped in theintermediate portion, to provide openings sufiiciently large to permitthe desired amount of air circulation but not so large as to enable thefree passage of field animals. By the proper disposition of louvers,which may be simply efiected, it is possible to simulate the ventilatorwith the foundation so that it is practically unnoticeable in positionof use and also, to enable the interposition of a member to regulate orentirely shut oif the openings. Other modifications of a stampedventilator embodying the principles of this invention will behereinafter described in greater detail.

In Figures 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings, [0 indicates a sheet ofmetal which may be formed, as by stamping, into a ventilator having abody portion 1 I with integral flanges I2 and I3 extending rearwardlysubstantially at right angles with the lateral edge portionsrespectively of the body portion ll. Also extending rearwardlysubstantially perpendicularly from the upper and lower edge portionsrespectively of the body portion H are integral flanges or shelves l4and i5, eachof these shelves overextending the side flanges l2 and [3which operate as a support for the shelves strips which are in verticalalignment are laterally spaced apart a distance substantially equal tothe length of an ordinary brick 20 used in the foundation 2| and are ofa length substantially equal to the height of the bricks 20. Impressedsimultaneously with the vertically disposed louvers or strips I9 arsufficient horizontally disposed louvers or strips 22 integrally toengage these vertically disposed strips l9 at their inner end portions,all of these strips being forwardly curved at their end portions I Sointegrally to join the body portion l l. These strips l9 and 22 are of awidth approximately equal to the Width of the mortar bond 23 betweenfoundation bricks.

If, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the body portion correspondsdimensionally to the vertical and longitudinal dimensions of three tiersformed of a pair of bricks 20 in the foundation 2|, then the upper andlower flanges or shelves l4 and [5 are in horizontal alignment with thebrick bond line 23a in the foundation 2| and the overextending portions16 are disposed in the bond line between adjacent bricks. With thesedimensions, a pair of vertically spaced horizontal louvers 22 aresumcient to simulate three tiers a, b and c of bricks, while a pair oflouvers I9 in each of the upper and lower tiers a and 0, when laterallyspaced the distance of a half a brick from their adjacent lateral edges,are adapted, in combination with another louver intersecting theintermediate tier b, to simulate the staggered arrangement of bricksgenerally used in the construction of brick foundations. For purposes ofrigidity and support, the intermediate portions of the horizontallouvers may be adapted integrally to engage the adjacent body portion asat 24.

Th impressions of the louvers l8 and 22 are made sufficiently deep toprovide for openings 25 between the louvers and the body portion 1 Ithrough which air passes for the ventilation of the space beneath thestructure, yet the impression is not so deep as to enable field animals,such as mice, rats and the like, freely to pass through the openings andnest beneath the structure. Impressions in the range of to inch havebeen found satisfactory.

It is manifest that when properly tinted, the ventilator in position ofuse, as illustrated in Figure 3, is not noticeable to the casualobserver. Thus, there is provided a foundation ventilator havingstructural strength and appearance, as

well as lightness in weight, resistance to impact, and at the same time,enables sufiicient air circulation while militating against the passageof undesirable animals to the Space beneath the structure. It is to beunderstood that the dimensions of the ventilator are not restricted tothose described, but if the relationship between louvers, as set forth,is maintained, th desired simulation is effected if the longitudinal andvertical dimensions of the ventilator correspond to the height andlength of some multiple of the bricks in the foundation.

The insertion of the ventilator described is readily effected during theconstruction of the foundation in a manner which is obvious to thoseskilled in the art of bricklaying. The overhanging portions and shelvesenable the ventilator conveniently to be positioned flush with thefoundation while the apertures IT in the overextending portions 16receive mortar securely to anchor the ventilator relative to theremainder of the construction. One or more of these ventilators may bepositioned in the foundation during its construction or modification,and if the height of the ventilator is som multiple of the height of thebricks in the foundation, the shelves will reside in the mortar bondline whereby secure anchorage is obtained without impairment of theappearance of the foundation structure.

It is manifest that I have invented new and improved ventilatorsembodying the principles of being formable principally by the low costand mass production process of stamping into a strong, light weight,attractive and efficient unit adapted to enable the free circulation ofa controllable amount of air through the foundation without permittingthe free passage of field animals to the space beneath the structurewhere they may nest. Importance is directed to the vertical dimension ofthe body portions of the ventilators for when they are regulated as somemultiple of tiers of bricks, the upper and lower flanges and extensionsare disposed in the mortar bond line to provide for substantialanchorage without overly burdening the construction of the foundation.The laterial dimension may conveniently be selected as some multiple ofwhole bricks but the dimension is not limited in that respect.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction,arrangement and opera tion of openings and. parts may be effectedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention especially as definedin the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A foundation ventilator comprising a rectangular sheet metal bodyportion, a plurality of strips struck inwardly from the body portion toprovide vent openings for the circulation of ir, the strips beinghorizontally and vertically arranged respectively to set off theremaining body portion into sections spaced and dimensioned inaccordance with usual brick construction, said strips being integralwith the body portion in the region of their junctures one with theother to integrate the entire structure, and means for anchoring saidbody portion in the foundation.

2. A foundation ventilator comprising a rectangular sheet metal bodyportion vertically and laterally dimensioned to correspond to therespeotive vertical and lateral dimensions of a multiple of bricks inthe foundation, rearwardly bent flanges extending generallyperpendicular from the edges of the body portion, means for anchoringthe body portion in the foundation when in position of use, and aplurality of horizontally and vertically intersecting louvers struckfrom the body portion to provide vent openings for the circulation ofair, said louvers being vertically and horizontally spaced one fromanother to subdivide the body portion into sections dimensioned tocorrespond to conventional brick sizes and having a width correspondingto the width of a mortar bond in a foundation.

3. A foundation ventilator as claimed in claim 2 in which the louversare struck from the body portion to a depth of more than one-eighthinch, but less than seven-eighths inch, and are joined to the bodyportion in the region of their ends to provide a unitary structure.

4. A foundation ventilator comprising a rectang'ular sheet metal bodyportion of a height and width corresponding to three tiers of bricks andone or more length thereof respectively as disposed in the foundation,rearwardly bent flanges extending generally at right angles from theside, upper and lower edges of the body portion respectively with theside flanges being disposed between the upper and lower flanges,apertured laterally extending portions integral with the upper and lowerflanges which in combination with said flanges are disposed in themortar bond line when in position of use, thereby to operate asanchoring means, vertically disposed louvers stamped in said bodyportion, said louvers bein of a width corresponding to the width of themortar bond in the foundation and of a length corresponding with theheight of a brick in the foundation, said louvers being arranged intiers with the louvers in one tier being laterally spaced apart adistance corresponding to the length of a brick in the foundation, withthe louvers in successive tiers being arranged in staggered relation,and a pair of horizontally disposed louvers stamped in said body portionand engaging said vertically disposed louvers at their inner ends.

5. A foundation ventilator as claimed in claim 4, in which saidhorizontally disposed louvers are vertically spaced apart from eachother and the upper and lower edges of said body portion an amountcorresponding to the height of a brick in the foundation.

6. A foundation ventilator as claimed in claim 4, in which all of saidlouvers integrally engage said body portion at their ends, said louversbeing struck rearwardly an amount greater than M; of an inch but lessthan A; of an inch.

7. A foundation ventilator comprising a sheet metal body portion havingreinforcing flanges about its edges, a plurality of strips struckinwardly from the body portion to provide vent openings for thecirculation of air, some of said struck strips being horizontallyarranged in spaced parallel relation to supbdivide the body portion intotwo or more tiers, others of said strips being vertically arranged inlaterally spaced apart parallel relation with the strips in oppositetiers being aligned while the strips in adjacent tiers are offset fromeach other by a distance corresponding to about one half the lateralspacing between strips, said strips being integral with the body portionin the region of the junctures between strips to integrate the entirestructure.

8. A foundation ventilator comprising a sheet metal body portion havingreinforcing flanges about its edges, a plurality of strips struckinwardly from the body portion to provide vent openings dimensioned topermit free air circulation and prevent passage of rodents and largerfield animals, some of said struck strips being horizontally arranged inspaced parallel relation to subdivide the body portion into two or moretiers, others of said strips being vertically arranged in laterallyspaced apart parallel relation with the strips in opposite tiers beingaligned while the strips in adjacent tiers are oiTset from each other bya distance corresponding to about one half the lateral spacing betweenstrips, said strips being integral with the body portion in the regionof the junctures between strips to integrate the entire structure.

9. A foundation ventilator comprising a sheet metal body portion havingreinforcing flanges about its edges, a plurality of strips struckinwardly from the body portion to provide vent openings for circulationof air, some of said struck strips being horizontally arranged in spaceparallel relation to subdivide the body portion into two or more tiers,corresponding to one less than the number of cross strips, other of saidstrips being vertically arranged in laterally spaced apart parallelrelation with the strips in opposite tiers being aligned while thestrips in adjacent tiers :are offset from each other by a distancecorresponding to about one half the lateral spacing between strips, saidstrips being integral with the body portion in the region of thejunctures between strips to integrate the entire structure.

HOWARD W. RONFELDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 347,392 Smith Aug. 17, 18861,141,417 Schafley June 1, 1915 1,720,200 Baum July 9, 1929 1,795,001Wilkins Mar. 3, 1931 1,855,294 Kuehne et al Apr. 26, 1932 2,011,797Covell Aug. 20, 1935 2,130,811 Nelson Sept. 20, 1938 2,245,931 MeyerJune 17, 1941 2,282,946 De Roo May 12, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 24,671 Great Britain 1913 518,399 Great Britain Feb. 26,1940 743,204 France Jan. 6, 1933

